Holddown for lasting-machines.



M. BROCK.

HOLDDOWN FOR LASTING MACHINES. APPLICATION HLED MAR. 2. I912.

1,1 34,253 a Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

.hard down with the usual foot treadle.

an eras PATENT onion.

MATTHIAS BROCK, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN'OR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF IPATERSON,NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HOLDDCWN FOR LASTING-MACHINES.

Patented Apr. 8, 1915..

Application filed March 2, 1912. Serial N 0. 681,163.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MATTHIAS BRooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in I-Iolddowns for Lasting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to lasting machines and particularly to means for holding down the work in bed lasting machines.

In lasting shoes upon the commercial bed lasting machine, it is important that the shoe be held down firml upon the toe rest because the operation 0 Wiping the upper upwardly and inwardly about the toe has a strong tendency to displace the last upwardly and rearwardly unless securely held in place and also because there is liability of pulling the upper forwardly and thereby bowing the tip seam unless the toe of the shoe is hard clamped down upon the toe rest. As the upper is wiped in over the edge of the last and on to the thin feather edge of the innersole, the feather is quite apt to be crumpledup at the channel or rib line or the innersole to be displaced bodily unless it is securely held against the last. It often happens also that in wiping in the upper the rib or lip of the innersole, being unsupported upon the inner side, is broken down or flattened so as to require straightening up and reforming before the operation of the welter in securing the welt to the upper'and rib of the innersole can be properly performed. This is particularly liable to occur about the end of the toe because, in order to last the fullness of the upper firmly in against the shoulder and hard down upon the feather to provide a well-shaped toe an operator frequently screws the wipers ahead over the tip of the toe while pressing them It is important that the lip of the innersole be backed up on its inner-side by a former that has an extended edge contour fitting this lip in order to avoid distorting the lip during this operation.

In certain types of last the plane of the bottom of the forepart is at an angle to the plane of the heel seat, and hence a holddown which is constructed to lie flatly upon the bottom of the forepart of a straightfaced last would bear only at one edge when applied to a last the bottom face of which is twisted as above explained.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a hold-down of novel construction which will be more convenient and efficient in operation and will be better adapted to varying conditions than any heretofore construoted.

As a feature of the present invention, means is provided for supporting the rib or lip of the innersole in opposition to the inwiping movements of the wipers and upper, the means preferably taking the form of a plate having a square edge which fits against the back of the rib and has an extended edge that is substantially like the contour of the toe inside the rib. To provide for the support of the rib of soles having varying contours, the plates are interchangeable and preferably each plate is reversible as, for example so that either end may be brought against the rib, the ends varying in contour for right or left shoes or to fit differently shaped toes. As a further feature of the invention novel provision is made for self adaptation of the bearing plate to the inclination of the last bottom. As shown the plate is supported by means permitting it to adjust itself and the holding down pressure is applied by other means. As advised it is new with me to support a holddown pressure plate by one means and to apply the holding down pressure by other means. Preferably the supporting means acts yieldingly to maintain the plate in a normal inclination and returns it thereto after each use of the hold down. In the drawings each side of the plate is supported on a resilient arm so that either side may give slightly independent of the other and the plate may, therefore, adapt itself to small variations in the transverse inclination of the last bottom, and also to variations in its longitudinal inclination or pitch. The holding down pressure is applied positively by a rigid arm which acts centrally of the width of .the plate and is .shown as having a contact member threaded for adjustment in it to allow more or less springing of the resilient supporting arms before the unyielding pressure begins to be applied.

Preferably the points of contact of the resilient arms with the bearing plate are 10- cated nearer the toe than the contact of the unyielding supporting means so that the hold-down plate is resiliently held against the innersole over the toe portion thereof and is rigidly supported over a section of the innersole to the rear of the toe and substantially over the ball of the last.

A further important feature of the invention is embodied in means for permitting movement of the hold-down plate together with its resilient supporting arms and its rigid pressure applying arm about a definite axis extending longitudinally of the shoe and located substantially in the plane of the sole whereby the plate is adapted to lasts having wide variations in the transverse inclination of the forepart to the heel seat, that is, to lasts having considerable twist. Preferably the supporting arms of the holddown plate are mounted upon a support which is pivoted for movement about a horizontal axis slightly above the plane of the shoe bottom. Novel means is provided also for detachably holding the plates, and to this end one or both of the resilient arms is pivoted about vertical pivots near their outer ends and have the opposite ends to which the plate is attached spring-pressed outwardly. These ends of the arms are provided with countersunk holes and the plates each have two studs with overhanging heads upon them which are adapted to pass rather freely through the holes in the arms when the arms are pressed together, but which cooperate with the countersunk holes in the arms to hold the plate in place when the arms are permitted to separate.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective-view of a holddown mechanism embodying my invention and a portion of the toe head of a lasting machine; Fig. 2 is a side view of the holddown foot; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of a portion of the foot; Fig. 4' is a detail in perspective showing detached the members forming the joint between the hold-down foot and its support; Fig. 5 is a perspective of the hold-down plate detached.

At A is shown the forward portion of a toe lasting head of the commercial type of bed lasting machine, such for example as that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,018,477 granted on my application February 27, 1912.

At B the toe rest is shown sustaining the toe portion of a shoe in process of being lasted. I

The. means for supporting, actuating, holding in operative position, and releasing the hold-down foot, only portions of which are herein shown, are substantially similar to those disclosed and fully described in the application of Keyes, Ser. No. 580,400, to which reference may be had for details not herein given.

The post 2 is mounted for vertical movement by means of a treadle 4. The head 6 is mounted for rotation on the post 2 and carries an arm 8 mounted to slide therein and having friction means for holding it in any position of adjustment. The inner end of the arm 8 is bent and carries hinged thereto by a vertical pintle 10 a block 12. A member 14 is mounted upon the block 12 for movement about the axis of a headed stud 16 which fits an open slot 18 in the block 12, Fig. 4. The block 12 and member 14 are further secured together by a dovetailed slot 20 and guideway 22 which is curved from the stud 16 as a center. In assembling the parts, the stud 16 of the member 14 is inserted in the slot 18 of the block and the parts are swung relatively until the guide 22 enters the slot 20. Ab-

normal relative movement of the parts is' prevented by a plate 24 attached to the block 12 and extending over the member 14, there being some clearance between the member 14 and the plate.

The member 14 has an arm 15 which extends toward the toe of the shoe and is pro vided with an adjustable abutment in the form of a screw 17. The member 14 carries also the resilient arms 30, 32, which are pivoted thereto by the screws 31 and have their inner ends held normally separated by an expansion spring 36, Fig. 3. The opposite ends of the levers project beyond the pivots 31 and engage the member 14 to prevent undue separation of the ends of the levers in response to the spring 36. The forwardly extending portions of the levers are reduced in cross section to provide a suitable degree of resiliency and each is provided with a countersunk opening 38 in the end which is adapted to receive a headed stud 40 upon a hold-down plate 42. It will be seen that by pressing the ends of the levers 30,- 32 together, slipping them over the studs 40 on the plate 42 and releasing them that the spring 36 will expand and, because of the countersunk form of the holes 38 and the corresponding overhanging upon the studs 40, the plate will be held to the arms but may be instantly removed for reversal or .replacementby another of different shape.

The plate 42 has its respective ends shaped to fit inside the innersole rib for dif ferent styles of shoe toes and when shaped to fit snugly against the rib forms a support therefor and prevents its being broken down or, injured by the wiping in of the toe portionof the upper. Besides backing up the channel lip or rib by its continuous or unin terrupted end face or edge the plate, by its In use for lasting welt shoes the hold down foot is graspedand brought forward over the shoe bottom, the arm 8 being slid longitudinally until the foot is properly positioned transversely of the shoe and is then swung forward about the pivots 2 and 10 until the plate 42 is crowded up against I the rib of the innersole. During this positioning operation the hold-down foot is free to move about the pin 16 which forms an axis parallel to the plane of the shoe sole and only slightly above it, and hence adjusts itself tothe transverse inclination of a twisted last. During-the positioning movement the treadle 4 has been partially depressed to bring the hold-down foot against the innersole and when fully positioned the treadle is further depressed to hold the foot firmly upon the shoe. Ratchet means, not shown, is provided for holding the holddown foot in operativeposition and also a knee lever for releasing it. As pressure is applied to the hold-down the plate 42 is not only free to tip transversely of the last but also longitudinally to accommodate itself to the spring of the last, the connection with the arms 30, 32 by the pins 40 and holes 38 being sufficiently loose for this purpose. As the hold-down is further depressed the arms 30, 32 yield and permit the abutment 17 on the arm 15 to come in contact with the plate 42, thereby affording a firm unyielding support over the ball of the shoe while the toe end of the last is still resiliently held against the shoe by the arms 30, 32.

By the term shape, as used in this specification and certain of the claims in referring to the toe portion of the bottom of the shoe, is meant not only difierentwidths and curvatures found in shoes for the same foot but also right and left toes one of which is the counterpart of the other, exceptthat it is reversed, as is well understood.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A hold down for lasting machines comprising an elongated plate constructed and proportioned to have one end engage the toe of the shoe while the other end bears upon the ball of the shoe and having its opposite ends differently contoured to adapt said ends to fit behind the toe portion of the innersole rib of different styles of shoes respectively, and means for holding the plate in operative position with either end foremost.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for sustaining a shoe in position to'be operated upon and a hold down device comprising an arm movable over a shoe supported by said means, of a pressing member connected with said arm and provided with two pressing faces formed to operate similarly upon toes of different shapes, either of which pressing faces is adapted to engage with the toe end of the inners ole, and each of which presents a substantially continuous end face to back up the. channellip at the tip of the toe, one of said pressing faces conforming approximately to the contour of one shape of toe and the other of said pressing faces conforming approximately to a different shape of toe.

3. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for sustaining a shoe in position to be operated upon, of a hold down device comprising a pressing member having two pressing faces formed to operate similarly upon toes of different shapes, one conforming approximately to the contour of one shape of toe and the other approximately to the contour of a differently shaped toe, each of said pressing faces presenting a substantially continuous end abutment to back up the channel lip at the tip of the toe, and mountings by which said pressing member is supported and actuated and which are constructed and arranged to permit said member to be reversed for rendering said 100 faces interchangeably operative.

4c. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for sustaining a shoe in position to be operated upon and a hold down device comprising an arm movable over a shoe sup- 1 ported by said means; a hold down foot having two pressing faces, one conforming to the. toe portion of one shape of sole and the other to the toe portion of a different shape of sole, said faces being formed to operate similarly uponsoles the toe portions of which have different shapes; and connections between said arm; and hold down foot whereby said foot can be detached, turned and reengaged with the arm to make said faces interchangeably operative.

5. A hold down for lasting machines comprising means for engaging the forepart of an innersole, andiimeans for applying pressure thereto resiliently until a predeter- 1 mined degree of ressure is reached and then applying positive unyielding pressure thereto.

6. A hold down for lasting machines com-' prising a plate for engaging over the toe 12 portion of an inner-sole, and means for supporting-the plate resiliently at its forward portion andother means for applying pres sure through the. plate unyieldi-ngly at; its rearward portion. .130

' 7 A hold down for lasting machines com prising a plate presenting a substantially continuous end face shaped to fit the innerside of the lip of a Welt innersole, and adapted to reach across a toe from one side to the other, said plate being shaped to extend longitudinally of the shoe from the ball to the toe for engaging the forepart of an l11IlQ1SOlQ,ELIld plate supporting means extending transversely of the shoe and having a connection Withsaid plate permitting the plate to turn about an axis that is perpendicular to the shoe bottom and to have a limited rocking movement about a definite axis that extends lengthwise of the shoe whereby the plate may adapt itself to the transverse inclination of the shoe bottoms.

8. A hold down for lasting machines comprising a plate presenting a substantially continuous end face shaped to fit the innerside of the lip of a Welt innersole, and adapted to reach across a toe from one side to the other, said plate being shaped to extend lengthwise of a shoe from near the ball to the toe, a carrier arm that extends transversely of the shoe, and connections between said arm and plate formed and arranged to permit the plate to turn about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and to rock about a definite axis that extends longitudinally of the shoe and is located below said connection and near the plane of the shoe bottom.

9. A. hold down for lasting machines comprising means for engaging the forepart of an innersole, and means for depressing the mid-portion of said means resiliently and for depressing the rear portion thereof unyieldingly. i

10. A hold down for lasting machines comprising a foot, means for supporting the foot and depressing it toward the last, said foot comprising a rigid portion, resilient arms upon either side of the rigid portion, and a hold down plate supported upon said arms and arranged so that as the arms yield the plate will come in contact with the rigid portion.

11. A hold down for lasting machines, comprising a support, a hold down foot mounted on said support for, movement about a definite axis extending longitudinally of the shoe and substantially in the plane of the sole thereof, and a plate mounted on said foot and adapted to engage the toe portion of the shoe sole and to bear against the rib of the innersole.

12. A hold down foot for lasting machines, comprising a block mounted for movement about a vertical axis, a member mounted upon said block for movement thereon about a horizontal axis that is located below the block and substantially in the plane of the innersole, and means connectedwvith said member for engaging the the shoe.

toe portion of the innersole and the inner face of the rib of the inner sole, and partaking of said movements to adapt it to the position and to the transverse inclination-0f the bottom of the shoe to be held thereby.

13. A hold down foot for lasting machines, comprising a block mounted for movement about a vertical axis, a member mounted upon said block for movement about a horizontal axis, arms pivoted to said member, means for resiliently separating the arms, and an innersole engaging plate having studs adapted to engage-holes in the ends of said arms.

14. A hold down foot for lasting machines comprising a block mounted for movement about a vertical axis, a member secured to said block for movement about an axis lying substantially in the plane of the sole face .of the last and having a rigid projection, a resilient arm pivoted to said member about a vertical axis on each side of the projection, means for separating the arms, an innersole engaging plate, means for attaching the plate to the arms, and means whereby the tendency of the arms to separate holds said plate upon said arms, said plate and said rigid projection being arranged so that the plate Will be supported by said rigid member When the arms yield to pressure of the plate against the shoe.

15. A hold down forlasting machines comprising a reversible presser plate having headed, laterally symmetrical studs, and holding arms having eyes to receive the studs and spring pressed apart to retain the studs when the plate is presented either end foremost.

16. A hold down for lasting machines comprising a presser plate, resilient carrying means therefor, and rigid pressure applying means arranged for engagement With the plate after the plate has engaged the shoe.

17. A, hold down for lasting machines comprising a presser plate, resilient carrying means having connection with the plate at points spaced apart and enabling the plate to adapt itself to the engaged surface of the shoe bottom, and rigid pressure applying means arranged thereafter to engage the self adjusted plate 18. A hold down for lasting machines comprising a presser plate, twvo resilient carat one point to clamp rier arms connected With opposite side portions of the plate, a rigid pressure applying arm, and an ad ustable contact member to engage the plate centrally between said side portions.

19. A hold down for lasting machines comp ising a vertically movable operating post, a horizontal arm adjustable endwise thereon and having a forwardly bent free end, a presser plate carrier pivoted to said bent end and a spring connecting said arm and carrier to fold the carrier against the arm.

20. Means for holding down a last in bed lasting machines, preventing crumpling of a welt innersole at the channel and displacement orbreaking down of the channel lip, comprising in combination with suitable supporting and operating means, a presser member presenting a pressing face having an edge contour to fit. the inner side of the channel lip and afford substantially continuous support therefor across the tip of the toe and backward along either side from the tip and a lower surface contoured to clamp the innersole hard down upon the last bottom at the foot of the inner side of the channel lip, substantially as described.

2-1. Means for holding down a last in bed lasting machines, preventing crumpling of a welt innersole at the channel, and displacement or breaking down of the channel lip, comprising in combination with suitable supporting and operating means, a presser member presenting a pressing face having an edge contour to fit the inner side of the channel lip and afford substantially continuous support thereto across the tip of the chines comprising a supporting member,

and a presser member having two pressing faces of unlike contour for diflerent shoes which is formed to clamp a welt innersole down uponthe last bottom along the inside channel across the toe and to back up the channel lip across the toe and is reversible on the supporting member to present either face in operative position' according to the shoe to be lasted.

23. A hold down foot for lasting machines comprising a supporting member, a presser member which has two pressing faces each presenting substantially continuous lower and outer pressing surfaces extending across the tip of the toe, and con nections between said supporting member and presser member permitting the presser member to be reversed to present said surfaces of either pressing face in operative position.

24. A hold down for a bed type of lasting machine comprising a vertically movable post located at one lateral side of the machine, an arm supported thereon for movement toward'and from an operative position extending transversely over the shoe, a foot carrier extending at substantially a right angle forwardly from said arm toward thetoe of the shoe, and a presser member provided with two pressing faces, either of which is adapted to engage the toe of the innersole along a substantially continuous line across the tip of the toe and imme diately adjacent to the channel lip and thereby to clamp the innersole down upon the last bottom along said line and also to back up the channel lip across the tip of the toe against inward pressure, said presser member being reversibly mounted on said arm to present either of its faces in operative position.

25, A lasting machine hold down device comprising a supporting arm and a reversible pressing member which has two pressing faces that are formed to operate similarly on toes of different shapes, and connections between the pressing member and the supporting arm permitting reversal of said member to present either pressing face in position for operative engagement with the toe of a shoe supported in the machine.

26. A lasting machine hold-down mechanism comprising, in combination, a holddown pressure plate, means for yieldingly supporting said plate, and means separate from said supporting means for applying the holding down pressure and between which and said supporting means there is relative movement in the direction of the pressure to be applied.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATTHIAS nnocit.

Witnesses ELIZABETH C. Genre, 0. BLANGHE HARGRAVES. 

